Drinking Water for Domestic Use: Life Cycle Analysis and Hypothetical Environmental Management Scenarios for the City of Pereira, Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22395/rium.v18n35a2Keywords:
water treatment, drinking water, wastewater, life cycleAbstract
In this study, the environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of 1 m3 of drinking water in Pereira, Colombia were characterized. Four scenarios were analyzed: a baseline scenario and three hypothetical environmental scenarios. The life cycle was described, the inventory of matter and energy flows was made, and the environmental impacts of the midpoint and endpoint of the baseline scenario were established using the Impact 2002+ method, the environmental impacts of three hypothetical scenarios were defined also.
The results determined that the processes related to the production of drinking water generated most of the negative impacts of the cycle (75-100 %) in 12 of the 15 categories of midpoint in the baseline scenario. Likewise, in this scenario, drinking water contributed 56 % of the endpoint impact. On the other hand, promoting a 20 % reduction in water consumption along with the treatment of wastewater would be the best future scenario, both to reduce mid-point impacts and to reduce end-point impacts.
Downloads
References
[1] M. López et al., “El ciclo urbano del agua. Un nuevo modelo de sistema integral de gestión,†Ide@sostenible. Espacio de reflexión y comunicación en desarrollo sostenible. vol. 4, pp. 16, [En lÃnea], Disponible: http://upcommons.upc.edu/revistes/bitstream/2099/3862/1/gestion_del_agua_cast.pdf, 2007.
[2] M. Rygaard et al., “Increasing urban water self-sufficiency: New era, new challenges,†J. Environ. Manag., vol. 92, pp. 185-194, 2011. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.09.009
[3] C. Qi, y N. Chang, “Integrated carbon footprint and cost evaluation of a drinking water infrastructure system for screening expansion alternatives,†J. Clean. Prod., vol. 27, pp. 51-63, 2012. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.01.009
[4] S. Lim et al., “Urban water infrastructure optimization to reduce environmental impacts and costs,†J. Environ. Manag., vol. 91, pp. 630-637, 2010. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.09.026
[5] J. Comas y S. Morera, Life cycle assessment and water management-related issues. Girona, España: Quaderns de medi ambient 4, Documenta Universitaria, Universitat de Girona, 2012, 198 p.
[6] S. Lundie et al., “Life cycle assessment for sustainable metropolitan water systems planning," Water Sci. Technol., vol. 38, pp. 3465-3473, 2004. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es034206m
[7] D. De Haas et al., “Life Cycle Assessment of the Gold Coast urban water system. Achieving a balance between opposing environmental impacts is a challenge,†Water, vol. 38, n.° 8, pp. 57-64, [En lÃnea], Disponible: http://www.urbanwateralliance.org.au/publications/journals/De_Haas_Gold_Coast.pdf, 2011.
[8] J. Stokes y A. Horvath, “Life Cycle Energy Assessment of Alternative Water Supply Systems,†Int. J. Life Cycle Assess., vol. 11, n.º 5, pp. 335-343, 2006. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/lca2005.06.214
[9] S. Lassaux et al., “Life Cycle Assessment of Water from the Pumping Station to the Wastewater Treatment Plant,†Int. J. Life Cycle Assess., vol. 12, n.º 2, pp. 118-126, 2007.
[10] E. Friedrich et al., “Environmental life cycle assessments for water treatment processes – A South African case study of an urban water cycle,†Water SA, vol. 35, n.º 1, pp. 73-84, 2009. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v35i1.76710
[11] M. Mohamed et al., “Towards sustainability in urban water: a life cycle analysis of the urban water system of Alexandria City, Egypt,†J. Clean. Prod., vol. 18, pp. 1100-1106, 2010.
[12] M.J. Amores et al., “Environmental assessment of urban water cycle on Mediterranean conditions by LCA approach,†J. Clean. Prod., vol. 43, pp. 84-92, 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.12.033
[13] G. Barjoveanu et al., “Evaluation of water services system through LCA. A case study for Iasi City, Romania,†Int. J. Life Cycle Assess., vol. 19, pp. 449-462, 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0635-8
[14] D. Lemos et al., “Environmental assessment of an urban water system,†J. Clean. Prod., vol. 54, pp. 157-165, 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.04.029
[15] M. Nudelman y R. Pérez, “Conceptos para el manejo de la sostenibilidad del ciclo urbano del aguaâ€. Presentado en VI Serea, Seminario Iberoamericano sobre sistemas de abastecimiento urbano de agua, Joao Pessoa, Brasil. Disponible: http://www.lenhs.ct.ufpb.br/html/downloads/serea/6serea/TRABALHOS/trabalhoC %20(2).pdf, 2006.
[16] O. Jolliet et al., “Impact 2002+: A new life cycle impact assessment methodologyâ€. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess., vol. 8, n.º 6, pp. 324-330, 2003. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02978505
[17] International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Environmental Management and Life Cycle Assessment, Principles and Framework, ISO/FDIS 1404, International Organization for Standardization, 2006.
[18] International Organization for Standardization (ISO), “Environmental Management and Life Cycle Assessment, Requirements and Guidelines Managements Environmental,†ISO/FDIS 14044, 2006.
[19] J. Suárez y G. Navia, “Aporte a la utilización de agua termal como coagulante en el tratamiento de las aguas residuales municipales,†Tesis especialización, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Manizales, 2007.
[20] M. Varón, “Agua para uso doméstico: análisis de ciclo de vida y escenarios de manejo ambiental para la ciudad de Pereira, Colombia,†Tesis de maestrÃa, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, 2015.
[21] H. Slagstad y H. Brattebø, “Life cycle assessment of the water and wastewater system in Trondheim, Norway – a case study,†Urban Water J., vol. 11, pp. 323-334, 2014. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2013.795232
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
The total or partial reproduction of the contents of the journal for educational, research, or academic purposes is authorized as long as the source is cited. For reproduction for other purposes, express authorization from the Sello Editorial Universidad de MedellÃn is required.
